Japan’s Nikkei edges down as yen resumes march higher

TOKYO – Japan’s Nikkei share average declined in early trade on Wednesday, as a stronger yen overnight weighed on domestic stocks.

The Nikkei was down 0.9% at 3,7726.01 as of 0008 GMT, while the broader Topix fell 0.7%.

The declines run reverse to the yen, which was last trading around 145.37 per dollar after falling as far as 147.34 the previous day.

Market players are also awaiting the release of preliminary benchmark revisions to US employment data for the 12 months through March, due later on Wednesday. The Jackson Hole Economic Symposium is also set to get underway on Thursday.

Uniqlo parent firm Fast Retailing, chip-related shares Tokyo Electron and Advantest, and automakers like Toyota Motor were among a wide range of shares starting the day lower.

(Reporting by Brigid Riley; Editing by Tom Hogue)